AL MVP Race

A new feature here at Windy City Musings are the award previews. Don't forget to vote for the MVP, Cy Young, and Rookie of the Year in each league.

This year's AL MVP race might be more intriguing than it first seems. The gaudy numbers of Antonio Chapman will be hard to overlook, but a couple of other players have made a strong case.

Hardball Dynasty's

Antonio Chapman

Chapman, the season 11 MVP and a 4-time All-star, continues to tear apart the league. His 81 HRs this season trails only the 82 he hit last year in Second City history. His 195 RBI's easily led the league. Critics will point out that despite his Herculean contributions, the Riders missed the playoffs. Moreover, he plays a low-value defensive position in first base. Still, 81 HR's is difficult to pass over even in a hitter-friendly park.

Hardball Dynasty's

Bret Davis

Brett Davis played a near gold-glove caliber third base while hitting .333 with 53 HR's and 25 SB's. He knocked in 142 runs and scored the same amount. He and Chapman lead the next generation of AL stars. It's difficult to fault his game. Davis is only 26 and has made the All-star game every season he's been in the big leagues.

Hardball Dynasty's

Tony Baez

Tony Baez played just 130 games, but he made the most of his time, hitting .353 with 30 HR's and 130 runs scored. Most impressively, his 85 steals in 89 attempts is a jaw-dropper. He was about average as a second baseman, but only playing 130 games might keep him from winning.

Hardball Dynasty's

Kelvim Roa

Kelvim Roa hit .347 with 40 HR's, 144 RBI, and stole 20 bases. Still he was the 2nd best player on a non-playoff team, so hard to call him a contender here.

Hardball Dynasty's

Cody Hall

22-year old Cody Hall was EXCELLENT for Richmond, blasting 47HR's, scoring 134 runs, driving in another 121, stealing 34 bases and playing a solid CF (with a bit of time in RF and at SS). His .296 average pales in comparison to the other contenders, but his position and 5-tool performance makes him worth consideration.

ELIMINATION CHALLENGE

Well, the first round series are coming down to the wire. Ottawa knocked off Baltimore. Fellow AL East juggernaught Richmond is one of two teams facing elimination today.

Helena ousted a pesky Cheyenne team 2 games to 1 and managed to rest ace Rafael Aguilera who's likely to start game one against NL powerhouse Mexico City Bandejos (111-51) in the quarterfinals.



In the other AL series, Salem and Richmond have traded blows alternating wins. The deciding game is in Salem. The two last met in the Season 9 ALCS, with Richmond prevailing 4 games to 2 on it's way to a world championship. Juan Velazquez (17-8, 4.62 ERA) is expected to get the start for Salem. He allowed 6 runs in 5 innings in his first start. Salem is expected to counter with ace Marty Brantley (17-7, 3.65 ERA). The winning team has scored at least 6 runs in every game of this series so expect some hitting as usual in the AL.

In the NL showdown, long-time rivals Las Vegas and Sioux Falls are set to square off in Game 5. The Double Downs took Games 1 and 2 behind strong pitching performances before allowing 10 and 6 runs in Games 3 and 4. The Double Downs have a fully rested Delino Fischer (10-11, 2.90) coming off 6 shutout innings in game one. The Dakota will counter with veteran Curtis Towers (9-4, 3.63) who got blasted in Game 2 allowing 7 runs in just 2 and 2/3 innings. Manager Esteban Valentin has been criticized by the Sioux Falls sportswriters for not giving the start to rookie Morgan Bevil, but Valentin has never failed to win 90 games in 11 seasons managing 3 teams and is not likely to be moved by the reporters criticism.

Gridiron Greats?

Football teams don't usually play 7-game series, but that appears to be the case in this year's ALCS. The recap so far:

Game 1: Salem kicker Justin Lewis nails a 47 yard field goal with under a minute remaining as the Salamie defense allows just one long TD pass to Slick Black in their 10-7 victory.

Game 2: The Richmond option attack gets rolling with TD runs by QB Angel Mercedes (37 yards), FB Joel Peterson (2 yards), and 5'7 scatback Cody Hall (22 yards) while rolling up 284 rushing yards in a 21-7 win.

Game 3: Defense prevails on a cold, rainy day in Richmond. The 'Feds jump out to a 2-0 lead on a sack by star DE Dick Caruso in the 1st quarter. The special teams fail them though after P Doc Belle pins the 'Feds deep on a coffin corner kick and Richmond can't rush it out of end zone. Then Richmond long-snapper Alan Spencer sails one over the head of the punter for another safety with just 30 seconds to play. Salem wins 4-2.

Game 4: Salem kick Willie Morales hits three of four FG attempts to lead the Salamies to a 9-7 win.

Game 5: Willie Morales misses twice, including a 38 yarder that sails wide as time expires, giving Richmond the 9-6 victory on the 3 sacks by Dick Caruso leading to game winning FG.

Championship re-makes start off with a shelling.

Virgil Chavez Richmond Confederates Age: 23 B/T: R/R Born: Birmingham, MI Position(s): P (SP1) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

23-year old Virgil Chavez is by all accounts a star in the making. The key words being 'in the making.' Chavez was lit up on the biggest of stages today by the Salem Grand Salamies. The Salamies touched Virgil for 6 runs in a 2nd inning that featured 4 singles, a double, a walk and a hit batsman. Chavez was lifted in before getting the 3rd out.

The Feds staged a dramatic rally in the fifth, plating 5 off Salem ace Greg Jameson. It was too little too late as the Salamies scored another 3 in the 7th to cruise to a 10-7 win and take a 1-0 series lead.

In the NL, the Sioux Falls Dakota pulled out a thriller in Game One, winning 3-2 behind Paul Rhodes and a strong bullpen effort. Game Two features the return of Dakota ace Bartolo Gonzalez, making his return from an elbow strain that's had him out for two months.

Hardball Dynasty's

Bartolo Gonzalez

Playoff Preview (Salem)

Salem Grand Salamies (AL West Champs)
Salem won it's 10th consecutive AL WEst title despite a 10 game drop-off from last season's win total.

Hitting:
Salem may be the least HR-defendant AL playoff team. That's not to say they can't hit the big fly, three Salamies had 30+ and 10 finished in double figures. Tony Baez is a 4-tool talent that hit 31 HRs, stole 82 (in 89 attempts) bases and hit .322 while playing a fine 2B. Keeping him off the bases is key to stopping this balanced attack.

Team BA: .316
Team HR: 254
Team SB: 189

Pitching:
Doc Belle posted a 17-7 mark with a 4.99 ERA in the difficult AL. Juan Velazquez and Greg Jameson are next in the rotation line and Carl Brooks is one of 2nd City's all-time great closers.

Team ERA: 5.59
Team SV: 49-68
Team HR Allow: 252

Playoff Previews (AL)

As the playoffs approach - a quick preview of each team:

1-Richmond (115-47) - The top team in the AL leads the way with pitching. They allowed the fewest runs in the AL by a wide margin. The solid offense relies on speed, with a league-high 263 SBs and power (324 Hrs).
Key Player: 60-60 man Julio Nunez hit .330 while stealing 67 bags and pounding 62 HRs.
Weakness: Tough to find one on a team that won 115 games, plays good defense, and had their closer go 37-38 in save opportunities. Three starters did strike out 100+ times so we'll go with that.
History: 4th straight year in the playoffs but they've never been to the World Series.

4-Monterrey (89-73) - They rank 8th in the AL in runs scored, 7th in runs allowed, and 9th in fielding. At 211 their HR total was the 3rd lowest in the AL. How is this team the 4 seed? Creative managing and a non-traditional 3-man tandem rotation have meant wins.
Key Player: Catcher Carson Sherman leads the way with .325 average and 49 HRs.
Weakness: Closer Ned Rivera saved just 20 of 34 attempts and threw over 100 innings in 75 appearances
History: One of just a handful of franchises never to miss the playoffs, the the 'Quistas have made just 2 LCS and 1 WS appearances in 8 seasons.

5- Baltimore (99-63) - They're sortof like Richmond-light, with 326 HRs and 231 SBs to go with a staff that allowed the 2nd fewest runs in the AL.
Key Player: A trio of players hit 50+ HRs and drove in over 140 runs but ace hurler Rico Lecuona might be the key to the Homies hopes.
Weakness: Their baserunners have been caught stealing a league-high 142 times.
History: The franchise has missed the playoffs just 3 times in 8 years, but they've made it out of the division series just once, a season 2 trip to the World Series.

2- Salem (103-59) - This team trailed only Colorado in hitting .308 for the season. However, pitching and defense both ranked 8th in the AL. The offense defined balance with 9, count 'em 9 players hitting 20+ HRs.
Key Player: Free agent addition Carl Brooks was brought in to closer the door and he has, 49 of the 55 times he's been asked. Does the 35-year old have enough gas in the tank for the playoffs?
Weakness: Only Memphis had more - plays in the field and only Houston had fewer plus plays in the AL than this defense. They're also one of the worst in the league at throwing out base stealers.
History: Bossmao's boys have never lost the division and have made an AL-high 4 trips to the World Series. They've been there before.

3- Cincinnatti (96-66) - The Great Americans scored fewer runs than any other AL playoff team and only Monterrey slugged for a lower percentage. On the flip side, they finished 4th in the AL in runs allowed and posted a solid 67 quality starts. Seven players stole 20 bags or more.
Key Player: 33-year old Max Molina is the best starter on the staff (13-6 3.10 ERA), but he pitched into the 7th just 4 times on the year and has been battling a tired arm. Will he step up in the playoffs?
Weakness: They lack the offensive firepower of the rest of this bracket and will have to rely on gritty pitching, manufactured runs, and solid bullpen work to succeed.
History: After cincyredlegs took the franchise to its first playoff birth last year, he orchestrated the first division title in franchise history this year. A first playoff series win would be a great achievement.

6- Scranton (97-65) - This team of extremes has the most HR's, fewest SB's, and highest ERA of any team in the AL field. No doubt, the cast of the Office will be in the stands.
Key Player: C.C. Morgan hit .328 as a rookie but his biggest contribution in the playoffs might be made with his arm where he's led the Nittany Lions to the best CS% in the entire AL.
Weakness: The pitching staff has the highest walk rate of any in the AL playoffs and the hitters tied Cincy's for the most strikeouts of the playoffs teams.
History: Scranton set a franchise record for victories but finished just third in their division. This is their second appearance in the playoffs.

Bold Predictions:
Scanton nips Cincy in a series that goes the distance. Monterrey proves scrappy but not enough to take down Baltimore. Powerful Richmond bests a surprising Scranton team to take the pennant.

World Series Preview

Salem and San Juan prepare to square off in the World Series VIII. The teams present contrasting styles which could make for a fascinating Series.

San Juan Crownrificos
Strengths: The Rificos are built on pitching and they haven't disappointed with a 3.87 team ERA that was good for 3rd in the league behind Las Vegas and Sioux Falls. The staff has taken it to an even higher level in the playoffs, posting a 2.42 ERA and converting all 5 save opportunities. In the regular season, the staff led the league in K's and was near the top in fewest BB allowed. Lenny Ohman is 3-0 with a 1.36 ERA in the post-season and the bullpen has been untouchable.

Weakness: The team defense is pathetic. During the season, no team made fewer plus plays (5) and only 4 had more minus plays (54). They've picked it up in the post-season though, making just 3 errors while turning in 3 web gems. They're hitting just .245 as a team in the post-season, relying on the long-ball for scoring. Star SS Dan Garcia is hitting just .241 in the playoffs.

Intangibles: They've played 14 games in the post-season, 8 more than Salem. They've won 2 league titles, but have lost in the division series in 5 consecutive years coming into this season.

Salem Grand Salamies
Strengths: The Salamies sport a high-powered offense that displays both speed and power on a regular basis. They're hitting .305 as a team in the post-season. Their team ERA of 5.06 in the regular season isn't bad in a league full of tiny ballparks and bad defense. Can it hold up against the Crownrificos? 87-base stealer Tony Baez is 8-8 in the post-season.

Weakness: The team defense is not good and it's getting worse. They've made 6 errors in 8 post-season games. Is the staff up to the challenge?

Intangibles: They've lost just once in the post season (7-1) and bring a well rested team to the series. Juan Velasquez has been great at the top of the rotation, but #2 starter Greg Jameson has been hit hard in the post-season. Will 3 games without a DH hurt this powerful lineup?

Dynasties collide

The Championship series, edition 8 get underway soon, and four of Second City's powerhouses collide. Between them these four squad hold 29 (of a possible 32) division championships, 7 league championships, and four of the seven World Series titles.

In the AL, Salem, 8-time division champ, 3-time pennant winner, and World Series Champ in Season 3 (only time the AL won) takes on Rochester, 5-time consecutive winner of the AL East and last year's AL pennant winner. In the past 5 seasons, these two squads have met only once in post-season play. Salem won an ALCS matchup in Season 5. In the regular season, Rochester took 6 of 10 meetings, 5 of 6 in Salem.

In the NL, San Juan, 6-time division champ, 8-time playoff participant, winner of the first two World Series crowns, takes on defending champ Sioux falls, an 8-time division champ, hoping to even its NLCS record at 2-2 with a series win. Amazingly, in 8 years in the same half of the bracket, San Juan and Sioux Falls met only once, in Season 2, with San Juan winning 3 consecutive elimination games to take the series in 7 games. This year, the Dakota won 8 of 10 regular season meetings (3-1 road, 5-1 home).

Top 5 2B Prospects

Here my list of the top five 2B prospects in the league. As with the centerfield list, Honolulu came away with the top ranked player. Also of note is the 2B depth of the Cheyenne organization, which placed a player on the list, and had two others, Bert Houston and Sherman Price, narrowly miss the top 5.



Top 5 Second Base Prospects

Hardball Dynasty's

Kevin Canseco

#1 - Kevin Canseco
Honolulu – AAA
Age 20
Drafted Season 6, Round 1, Pick 1
Prospect Rating Score - 39

#2 – Damain Simpson
Salem – AAA
Age 21
Drafted Season 5, Round 1, Pick 13
Traded to Salem in Season 7
Prospect Rating Score - 37

#3 – Dewey Rivera
Cheyenne – High A
Age 19
Drafted Season 7, Round 1, Pick 19
Prospect Rating Score - 35

#4 – Chris Benes
Washington – AA
Age 23
Drafted Season 6, Round 1, Pick 10
Prospect Rating Score - 35

#5 – Aaron Pratt
Mexico City – AAA
Age 22
Drafted Season 4, Round 1, Pick 37
Prospect Rating Score - 32